a 


Press   Bulletin  Series  T  ,  ...     . 

Issued    INvice  Quarterly 

STATE  OF  ILLINOIS 
DEPARTMENT  OF  REGISTRATION  AND  EDUCATION 

A.  M.  SHELTON.  Director 

DIVISION  OF  THE 
STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 

M.  M.  LEIGHTON,  Chief,    Urbana 


No  2  ILLINOIS  PETROLEUM 


May  29,   1926 


CONTENTS 


Notes  on  a  core  bit  for  cable  tools 

Prospecting  for  Hoing  sand  oil  pools 

Recent   petroleum   developments   in   Illinois 

5 

NOTES  ON  A  CORE  BIT  FOR  CABLE  TOOLS 

By  Gail  F.  Moulton 

A  core  bit  manufactured  by  the  Keystone  Driller  Company  Joplin 
Missouri,  was  used  on  a  cable  tool  drilling  stem  to  drill  in  the  Eastern 
Cult  Company,  No.  2  well  on  the  Cisel  Heirs  farm  in  sec.  2,  Wabash  Twp., 
Wabash  County.  The  core  bit  was  substituted  for  the  regular  bit  and  run 
by  Mr.  Leavitt  Gray,  drilling  contractor.  About  one  foot  of  new  hole  was 
made  m  50  minutes  on  the  first  run.  The  drilling  rate  on  the  second  run 
was  a  little  greater. 

The  trial  of  the  core  bit  demonstrated  that  coring  is  a  feasible  and 
practical  method  of  getting  additional  information.  It  also  appears  that 
once  the  drillers  have  become  familiar  with  the  technique  of  operating  the 
core  bit.  the  time  required  for  drilling  a  well  in  will  not  be  increased 
more  than   100  per  cent. 

A  core  of  the  producing  sand  is  valuable  to  the  operator  because  of 
the  assistance  which  it  gives  in  the  proper  management  of  each  well  The 
core  taken  from  the  Cisel  Heirs,  No.  2  well  revealed  that  some  of  the  sand 
drilled  was  non-productive.  It  also  showed  the  character  and  thickness  of 
the  best  producing  parts  of  the  sand.  The  fact  that  a  little  water  was  coming 
into  the  well  from  a  sand  below  the  casing  would  have  caused  considerable 
worry  under  usual  conditions,  but  the  core  showed  that  the  well  was  not 
being  drilled  into  water. 

A  laboratory  test  on  the  core  would  indicate  the  oil  content  of  the 
sand  and  would  form  a  basis  for  computation  of  total  oil  content  in  barrels 
per  acre.  Later  in  the  life  of  the  well,  such  data  could  be  used  to  determine 
the   percentage   of   oil    recovery   and   the   advisability   of   applying  methods 


ILLINOIS  PETROLEUM 


for  increasing  oil  recovery.  Information  concerning  the  distribution  of 
the  best  oil  producing  streaks  in  the  sand  would  also  serve  in  choosing  the 
method  of  increasing  recovery  best  adapted  to  local  conditions. 

The  coVe  taken  from  the  Gulf  well  showed  the  condition  of  sorting  of 
the  sand,  the  porosity,  the  type  of  stratification,  and  the  character  of  the 
grains  of  sand.  The  conditions  of  deposition  of  the  sand  can  be  determined 
to  a  considerable  extent  from  such  information,  and  the  history  of  local 
changes  fairly  well  interpreted. 

The  geologic  information  obtained  from  the  core  has  a  greater  value 
than  is  immediately  apparent,  particularly  if  further  coring  of  this  sand  is 
undertaken  in  the  vicinity.  The  knowledge  of  depositional  conditions,  which 
are  of  the  ocean  beach  type,  indicates  that  the  sand  is  probably  present 
for  more  than  the  usual  location  distance  in  any  direction,  but  that  it  would 
be  found  to  have  a  very  great  extent  parallel  to  the  direction  of  the  old 
shore  line.  A  few  additional  cores  should  serve  to  indicate  the  shore  line 
trend,  the  location  and  trend  of  the  zone  of  maximum  oil  production  and 
the  probable  total  oil  content  of  the  sand.  It  should  be  possible  not  only 
to  avoid  drilling  dry  holes,  but  also  to  avoid  drilling  small  wells  on  locations 
outside  the  best  productive  zone  by  use  of  cores. 

In  an  area  of  numerous  irregular  sand  lenses  which  occur  promiscuous- 
ly in  a  general  zone  of  sand  deposition,  as  is  the  case  of  the  Biehl  sand 
in  the  Allendale  field,  the  determination  of  structure  on  the  basis  of  sand 
correlation  is  both  difficult  and  unsatisfactory.  The  reported  occurrence 
of  a  few  fossils  in  the  shale  overlying  the  Biehl  sand  suggests  the  presence 
of  a  fossil  zone  which  could  be  recognized  in  cores.  If  such  a  zone  could 
be  located,  it  would  be  possible  to  determine  the  structure  easily  and  accur- 
ately and  to  guide  further  prospecting,  particularly  in  deeper  sands,  with 
much  more  assurance  than  is  now  possible. 

In  view  of  the  slight  additional  cost  of  core  drilling  the  producing  zone, 
or  zones  useful  in  determining  structure,  and  because  of  the  valuable 
information  to  be  obtained  from  the  core  which  cannot  be  obtained  in  any 
other  way,  there  is  a  decided  economic  advantage  to  be  gained  from  coring. 

The  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey  will  be  glad  to  extend  its  present 
free  service  of  sample  study  to  include  the  examination  and  interpreta- 
tion of  cores  so  that  the  operators  may  have  the  immediate  benefits  to  be 
derived  from  these  additional  data. 

Thanks  are  due  the  Keystone  Driller  Company  for  their  courtesy  in 
lending  the  core  bit  equipment  and  also  for  sending  Mr.  Yeleair  C.  Smith 
of  their  engineering  staff  to  explain  the  use  of  the  bit.  The  test  was  made 
possible,  also,  through  the  kindness  of  the  Eastern  Gulf  Company  and 
Leavitt  Gray,  drilling  contractor.  The  efforts  of  J.  E.  Young,  Jr.  and  J.  W. 
Whiteside  in  furthering  the  project  are  also  appreciated. 


ILLINOIS  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY 


3  3051  00005  1569 


PEOSPECTING    FOE   llOINci    SAND  OIL  POOLS  3 

PROSPECTING   FOR  HOING  SAND  OIL  POOLS 

By  Gail   F.  Moulton  and  J.  Marvin  Weller 

In  general,  the  oil  pools  of  Illinois  have  accumulated  on  the  high  por- 
tions of  anticlinal  or  dome  structures.  Irregularities  in  sand  conditions 
have  modified  this  occurrence  considerably  so  that  the  structure  of  the  rocks 
due  to  folding  does  not  have  complete  control  of  the  conditions.  In  gen- 
eral, the  more  irregular  the  sand,  the  greater  the  variation  from  simple 
structural  control  of  oil  accumulation.  This  relation  is  clearly  shown  by  a 
comparison  of  conditions  of  accumulation  of  petroleum  in  different  parts 
of  Illinois.  In  Lawrence  County,  the  presence  of  several  productive  sands 
practically  insures  production  from  one  or  more  in  a  favorable  structure. 
In  the  present  development  in  Wabash  County,  the  production  has  been 
found  to  be  restricted  to  those  portions  of  the  favorable  structures  in 
which  the  erratic  producing  sand  occurs.  The  Hoing  sand  production  of 
western  Illinois  is  even  more  irregular  because  its  occurrence  is  more  un- 
certain. The  development  of  the  Plymouth-Colmar  area  showed  that  the 
greater  part  of  the  production  was  found  on  a  slight  terrace  on  the  side 
of  the  main  dome  because  of  the  more  favorable  occurrence  of  the  Hoing 
sand  at  that  point. 

In  view  of  the  present  interest  in  oil  development  in  the  Hoing  sand 
areas  in  western  Illinois  and  of  the  difficulties  attendant  on  prospecting 
in  that  area,  some  suggestions  which  may  aid  development  are  presented 
here. 

From  a  geological  point  of  view,  the  prospecting  should  be  undertaken 
in  three  different  types  of  areas.  The  best  areas  are  those  in  which  struc- 
tures of  promise  are  known  in  the  surface  rocks  located  near  wells  wdiich 
have  found  the  Hoing  sand  carrying  water  in  unfavorable  structural  loca- 
tions. In  such  areas,  prospecting  should  be  begun  near  the  top  of  the 
structure  on  the  side  toward  the  test  showing  the  presence  of  the  Hoing 
sand.  If  the  first  test  fails  to  find  the  Hoing  sand,  others  should  be  drilled 
down  the  slope  of  the  structure  toward  the  well  where  the  Hoing  sand 
was  found.  If  the  first  test  finds  oil  and  water  in  the  Hoing  sand,  an 
attempt  should  be  made  to  locate  a  test  higher  on  the  structure. 

A  second  class  of  areas  for  prospecting  are  those  in  the  vicinity  of  old 
wells  in  which  a  showing  of  oil  with  a  considerable  amount  of  water  was 
found  in  the  Hoing  sand,  and  for  which  little  is  known  regarding  the 
structure  of  the  upper  rocks.  In  such  areas,  good  results  should  be  obtained 
by  drilling  up  the  dip  from  the  earlier  well.  Unless  there  is  evidence  to 
show  the  direction  of  the  dip,  it  should  be  assumed  to  be  east  and  the  new 
well  located  west  of  the  first  one. 

A  third  cla>s  of  areas  for  prospecting  are  those  for  which  a  favorable 
structure  has  been  determined  in  the  upper  rocks  but  one  where  the  sand  con- 


4  ILLINOIS   PETROLEUM 

ditions  of  the  Hoing  horizon  are  completely  unknown.  In  such  areas,  it 
is  recommended  that  drilling  be  started  on  the  high  part  of  the  structure. 
Current  ideas  indicate  that  the  presence  of  the  sand  is  determined  by  condi- 
tions which  are  independent  of  the  present  structure  and  as  the  highest 
parts  of  the  structures  would  be  the  most  favorable  in  the  case  of  continu- 
ous sands,  it  is  believed  that  they  deserve  the  first  test  in  areas  for  which 
sand  conditions  are  unknown. 

In  order  to  insure  the  best  results  in  prospecting,  the  operators  should 
be  guided  largely  by  the  plans  of  prospecting  recommended  in  this  paper, 
for  such  a  logical  procedure  governed  by  the  available  information  should 
insure  more  than  average  success. 


RECENT  PETROLEUM    DEVELOPMENTS    IX    ILLINOIS  5 

RECENT   PETROLEUM   DEVELOPMENTS   IN    ILLINOIS 

By  Gail  F.  Moulton 

Southeastern  Fields 

The  principal  developments  in  the  southeastern  fields  during  the  first 
four-month  period  of  1926  were  in  Clark  and  Wabash  counties.  Activities 
in  Clark  County  consisted  principally  of  deepening  the  old  wells  from  the 
Carper  sand  at  1400  feet  to  the  Devonian-Silurian  lime  at  1600  feet.  Very 
great  activity  has  begun  in  this  area  with  the  return  of  good  weather. 

In  Wabash  County  a  considerable  number  of  wells  have  been  completed 
with  about  the  usual  percentage  of  dry  holes.  The  most  important  develop- 
ments may  be  briefly  sketched.  Chas.  Forman  and  others  found  a  new  deep 
sand  about  225  feet  below  the  Biehl  sand  in  their  first  well  on  the  Cisel 
Heirs  farm  in  sec.  1,  Wabash  Twp.  Henly  and  others  got  a  well  on  the 
Robert  Yelton  farm  in  sec.  5,  Friendsville  Twp.,  which  is  slightly  to  the 
northwest  of  other  production.  Miller  and  others  drilled  in  a  well  on  the 
Ezra  Bass  farm  in  sec.  19,  Friendsville  Twp.,  which  opened  a  new  producing 
area  where  prospecting  had  been  recommended  by  the  State  Geological 
Survey,1  and  since  that  time  six  producers  averaging  about  45  barrels  each 
have  been  completed.  An  unverified  report  was  current  recently  in  Allen- 
dale, that  Alspaugh  and  others  had  a  good  showing  of  oil  in  their  well  on 
the  R.  R.  Little  farm  in  sec.  27,  Friendsville  Twp.  This  well  is  an  outside 
wildcat  which  would  arouse  interest  in  a  large  territory  if  it  proved  pro- 
ductive. 

In  Lawrence  County,  three  tests  of  particular  interest  are  being  drilled. 
A  well  north  of  Bridgeport  is  reported  to  have  been  started  with  the  pur- 
pose of  making  a  deep  test  to  the  Trenton.  This  report  has  not  been  verified, 
but  if  true,  the  well  should  give  very  valuable  information.  Hartmann  and 
others  are  starting  a  deep  test  on  the  A.  J.  Vaught  farm  in  sec.  3,  Russell 
Twp.,  Lawrence  County.  This  well  will  be  drilled  to  the  McClosky  horizon 
in  the  hope  of  getting  production  there.  Phipps  and  Blosser  completed  a 
dry  hole  on  the  J.  N.  Armstrong  farm  in  sec.  25,  Dennison  Twp.  Smith, 
Andrews,  and  others  are  drilling  a  deep  test  on  the  Ella  Smith  farm  in  sec. 
27,  Dennison  Twp. 

Central  Illinois 

In  the  Centralia  district,  the  James  Oil  Company  is  shutting  off  water 
in  its  Fanny  Mcintosh,  No.  4  well  in  sec.  4,  Centralia  Twp.,  Marion  County, 
and  is  preparing  to  drill  into  a  deep  sand  at  1110  feet.  The  Ohio  Oil  Com- 
pany has  rigged  up  for  two  wells  on  their  adjoining  property  to  the  east. 


1  lloulton,  Gail  F.,  Further  contributions   to   tin-   geology  of  the  Allendale  oil  field, 
with   a   revised   structure   map:    111.   State   Geol.    Survey    Rpt.   Inv.    No.    7,    1925. 


6  ILLINOIS   PETROLEl'M 

In  the  Sandoval  pool,  there  is  one  deep  test  being  drilled  on  the  north- 
west side  of  the  producing  area.  Two  rigs  are  working  in  the  Womac  pool 
south  of  Centralia. 

In  Bond  County,  leases  have  been  taken  on  the  area  recommended  for 
prospecting  by  the  Illinois  State  Geological  Survey.2  It  is  probable  that 
this  interesting  area  will  be  tested  in  the  near  future. 

Western  Illinois 

The  coming  year  promises  to  be  a  busy  one  in  the  vicinity  of  Macomb 
in  northwestern  Illinois.  It  is  reported  that  W.  A.  Evans  is  drilling  a  well 
on  the  Neil  Thoreson  farm  just  north  of  Augusta.  Mr.  Fisher  is  starting  a 
test  on  the  M.  H.  Williams  farm  in  sec.  18,  T.  4  N.,  R.  4  W.,  just  south  of 
Colmar. 

It  is  reported,  also,  that  the  Ohio  Oil  Company  and  W.  S.  Bacon  started 
a  well  on  the  C.  B.  Allison  farm  in  sec.  22,  T.  5  N.,  R.  4  W.,  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Tennessee  structure.  Three  tests  are  planned  for  this  struc- 
ture. Mr.  Harve  Woods  has  leased  a  block  of  acreage  between  Burnside 
and  Carthage  in  Hancock  County  and  plans  to  drill  a  test.  H.  M.  Hainline 
and  F.  G.  McClelland  have  been  leasing  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Sciota  dome2 
and  contemplate  drilling  a  test  there.  Rose  and  Lyberger  are  planning  to 
drill  some  tests  north  of  New  Philadelphia  in  sec.  23,  T.  6  N.,  R.  1  W. 

Southwestern  Illinois 

In  southwestern  Illinois  there  is  considerable  activity  in  the  vicinity  of 
Sparta.  Most  of  the  acreage  recommended  for  prospecting  in  the  first  num- 
ber of  Illinois  Petroleum  has  been  leased  up  and  new  developments  will 
start  soon.  E.  G.  Mason  moved  his  rig  into  the  central  part  of  sec.  1. 
T.  4  S.,  R.  6  W.,  near  Tilden  for  a  second  test.  The  first  well  was  aban- 
doned at  1240  feet.  The  well  on  the  Foster  farm  is  drilling  at  TOO  feet  after 
being  held  up  for  some  time  by  a  bad  fishing  job.  This  test  should  be  com- 
pleted within  a  short  time. 

Future  Prospects 

The  coming  summer  promises  to  be  a  time  of  great  activity  in  oil 
prospecting  in  Illinois,  particularly  in  central  and  western  Illinois.  If  the 
greater  part  of  this  drilling  is  done  on  a  geologic  basis,  new  pools  should  be 
opened  up  or  large  areas  in  western  Illinois  condemned. 


2  Moulton,    Gail   F.,    Proper   testing   for   oil   structures    in    Illinois   and   some   areas 
deserving    such    testing:    111.    State    Oeol.    Survey    Rept.    Inv.    No.    fi,    1925. 


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